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this month's editorial ...
Where did I put the keys?
Common, reversible causes of memory loss
There has been so much written about Alzheimer’s disease that
people overlook the fact that mild memory deficiency may be benign. There are many reasons
a person’s memory may seem less acute than before, most of them reversible.
Dr. Vernon Mark, neurosurgeon, says clinical depression (not the blues
or grief over a loss) is the most com-mon cause of memory loss. Names, and numbers are
encoded in the brain with shallower memory traces. The slowed down thinking process of
depressed people makes retrieval of memories even more difficult.
Mark, who is the author of Brain Power: A Neurosurgeon’s Complete
Program to Maintain and Enhance Brain Fitness Throughout Your Life (Houghton Mifflin),
says there are even more common reasons why people may not remember things.
Fluid imbalance: Electrolyte concentrations are regulated by various
mechanisms, one of which is water in the body. Too little or too much water disturbs brain
function.
Drug overdose. The effects on the brain of alcohol and drugs are well
known, but doctor-prescribed medications can also affect memory. Some people will have memory problems from:
Tranquillizers and antidepressants; analgesics and medicines to control hypertension and
diabetes; and beta blockers. Common drugs also
affect some people, like Inderal, cimetidine,
seasickness patches, and digitalis preparation.
Antipsychotic drugs can temporarily affect memory, as well as certain
combinations of medicines.
Malnutrition. A diet that lacks adequate B-complex vitamins,
particularly thiamine, niacin and B-12, can produce loss of memory. Thiamine is found in
pork, whole grains, organ meats and green vegetables. Niacin is found in meats, poultry,
fish and brewer’s yeast. Alcohol abusers and vegetarians who don’t supplement
with vitamins are at risk.
Low blood sugar. Diabetics taking too much insulin may have temporary
memory loss, but low blood sugar alters brain function, causing memory problems in almost
anyone.
Stress or nerves can activate surplus insulin, or eating too much
sugar can bring it on. To help slow the stomach’s emptying and produce a less abrupt
absorption of sugar, always eat another food with sweets.
Anemia and lung disease: Smokers who have obstructive lung disease
get less oxygen to brain cells, but anything that reduces the amount of oxygen to the
brain decreases memory and brain function. Severe anemia limits the amount of oxygen
carried by the blood.
Less common causes, especially in older people include small strokes;
long-term low blood pressure caused by taking too much blood pressure medicine, and
hypothyroidism.
Dr. Mark says people shouldn’t worry that a sometimes
uncooperative memory is caused by brain disease. Early diagnosis of the cause, and
effective treatment, can reverse many symptoms and keep them from coming back. No one
should self-diagnose or change medications without consulting their physician.
by Liisa Glover
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